Echos
by DelightfullyMAD
Summary: Every thing and everyone, through even the smallest of actions, can create ripples in fate, echos which in turn create more echos. With the arrival of a strange visitor, a new echo is created, one which could unbalance everything. NarutoxStarWars xover.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I definitely do NOT own Star Wars. I really REALLY wish I did, but I don't. I make absolutely no money off of this, so this is completely non profit, ect ect. My OC is mine though.

AN: This story takes place before the beginning of the Naruto manga and in an unspecified period of time between Darth Banes creation of the Rule of Two and the events of Phantom Menace.

"Normal Speech"

'_Thoughts'_

"**Kyuubi Speech"**

'_**Kyuubi Thoughts'**_

_--Force Speech--_

* * *

Echos

* * *

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away… (Cue Star Wars music)

STAR WARS

(And Naruto)

ECHOS

The Republic has stood in a state of relative peace for the last 50 years after the Great War with the Dark Brotherhood led by Darth Kaan. The Sith are, by this time, believed to be completely extinct, and by all the evidence that seems to be true. This period has seen an unprecedented growth of the Republic and an expansion of Republic space out beyond the galactic rim.

Out in the depths of unknown space, a single space craft of unknown design drifts aimlessly in the dark void. As it floats it is caught in the gravity well of a small uncharted planet, and drug down onto the surface…

* * *

Chapter 1: Crash landings and discoveries. 

DANGER

Red lights blared about the corridors of a decimated spacecraft, its flashing radiance enhancing the light provided by the fires blazing about unchecked.

DANGER

The sirens continued.

FUEL SUPPLY LOW

A figure stirred sluggishly in the pilot seat of the craft, his head thrashing about, barely conscious. It was garbed in a dark robe, the actual color obscured by the flashing lights overhead. The hood of the robe was pulled low, down over the eyes, almost completely obscuring the figures face. Red lights blazed about the cabin, flashing on and off in time with voiced warnings.

OXYGEN SUPPLY LOW

Swimming slowly to the surface of consciousness and reality, the figure began to stir more abruptly. The lights continued, their blazing brilliance going unnoticed by the ships single occupant.

HYPER-DRIVE DAMAGED

DANGER

Finally regaining their full mental faculties, the robed figure stood up, its robes rippling with the movement. Reaching out towards the control panels, it began to type quickly, punching in various commands into the main computer.

PERSONEL IDENT NOT CONFIRMED

"Shit" the figure mumbled, the deep rumble undoubtedly male. He typed in another passage, his fingers moving furiously over the keyboard.

EMRGENCY OVERRIDE ACCEPTED

Breathing a sigh of relief, he went back to typing.

STATUS REPORT: HYPERDRIVE HAS BEEN IRREVERSIBLY DAMAGED. HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED IN NUMEROUS SECTIONS. EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN HAS TAKEN EFFECT. FIRES IN THE CORE. ASTRONAVIGATION CHARTS UNAVAILABLE

"Damn." The figure swore again. He resumed typing, hoping that at least some of the functions of the ship were still operational.

MAIN ENGINE NEARLY DEAD, ESTIMATED RUN TIME 5 MINUTES 30 SECONDS

Upon gathering the available information, the figure seemed to lapse into himself, going quiet as if in a trance. Seconds later however, his craft was suddenly jostled as if it had been hit, nearly throwing the occupant to the ground. Regaining his balance, he once again typed a command into the computer.

THIS CRAFT HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL OF A NEARBY PLANET. PLANET IS SHOWN TO POSSESS AN S-3 ATMOSPHERE AND IS DEEMED HABITABLE. ESTIMATED TIME TO LANDING 10 MINUTES 45 SECONDS.

After this final message, the computer sputtered before the screen went dead, the last of the backup power giving out as the ship began to change course, dragged towards the large blue green sphere floating in the black sea of space.

The robed figure merely sat back, allowing himself to fall once again into a meditative trance as his ship was dragged unerringly towards the planet before him. There was little point in worrying about it now.

He simply sat and waited…

* * *

The moon hung bright and full in the sky. It was a rather warm summer night, the temperature was pleasantly warm without being uncomfortably hot, and there was a cool breeze in the air. The breeze felt good, especially to the old man standing at the balcony of his tower, his gaze cast out across the vast cityscape before him. 

Sarutobi considered it for a moment, his old mouth splitting into a small rueful smile as his mind wandered into past memories, as they seemed to often these days. Faces of old friends, comrades, and even enemies sprang up into his mind, phantoms of his younger days. Taking a moment to remove his pipe from his mouth, he blew out a thin stream of smoke, which was quickly teased into nothingness by the slight summer breeze. The sounds of the day's construction had ceased a few hours ago, and by this time the village was beginning to look normal again.

Like it had five years ago. Before the Nine-Tails came.

Another flash of memories came, these far less pleasant than those he had currently been mulling over. He remembered still the screams of the dying, the terror. He recalled the horrible, yet terrifyingly majestic form of the great demon as it stood over the village, its great body dwarfing everything, its tails thrashing about, sundering buildings and mountains alike.

He remembered the fourth, the Yondaime. That had been one of his greatest regrets, one whose legacy haunted him still. He lived daily with the guilt, remembering how he had argued that it should have been him to confront the demon. He was old; it was his responsibility to sacrifice what was left of his life for the sake of the village and the people that he had loved so much. But, ultimately, the fourth had gone, arguably one of the greatest ninjas that Konoha had ever produced, dying an old mans death.

Sarutobi sighed deeply, breathing out another lungful of smoke. It was not only that which left him feeling so regretful, it was the aftermath as well, or more specifically the fourth Hokage's legacy. He had failed in that too and now he had to watch daily as his failure tormented the legacy that their greatest ninja had left behind.

"So many regrets, so many failures…" He mumbled to himself, voicing his own self-recriminations idly to the wind. He got no answer of course, nor was he expecting any.

Looking back out to the skyline, he noted with some interest as a small, bright streak made its way down from the heavens before vanishing into the night. He watched it with interest, an odd feeling going down his spine as he did so.

* * *

On the other side of town, in a small rundown makeshift building, a young boy sat upon ragged sheets as he stared out the window into the night. A warm breeze floated in through the open window. 

Running his hand through his porcupine mop of shaggy blond hair, the young boy turned away from the window sullenly, once again nursing the sizeable bruise that decorated his left cheek, a souvenir of yet another day in his miserable hated life. He cast an almost withering look around the small room, noting each of the other young boys and girls as they slept in their beds. He knew that when tomorrow came, it would bring with it once again the jeers, the names, the pranks, followed by the fights and the beatings. Today had been worse, when he had managed to fight off several of the boys, only to have the caretakers rush out and dispense 'justice' upon him for striking out at the other kids. They never seemed to mind when he was beat up on, they would even watch, their faces twisted into sneers as they looked down on him. Just as everyone seemed to look down on him.

A flash of movement caught his eye and he glanced out the window again in time to catch a streak of light from a shooting star. As it shot down, Naruto made a promise to himself, hoping that those old myths about shooting stars were really true. When it disappeared Naruto jumped out of bed, his feet hitting the wooden floor silently. He couldn't sleep tonight anyway, he felt anxious for some reason…

As if something major was going to happen tonight.

* * *

The craft streaked through the atmosphere, its advanced heat shields easily allowing it to enter without any risk of burning up. The figure continued to sit calmly, forcing his body to remain loose and limp in preparation for the coming landing. Extending his senses outward, a mental picture formed in his mind, depicting a vast forest of trees. There was also a lake nearby, deep enough that it would not only cushion his landing, but also provide adequate cover for the wreckage. Reaching out, he concentrated on the craft as it shot towards the ground, subtly directing its trajectory towards the lake. 

Satisfied that he had changed his course enough, he sat back, bracing himself for the inevitable impact.

The water of the lake exploded as the craft plunged into it, sending water hundreds of feet up in the air. He had done what he could to slow the craft enough to limit the shock as well as the explosion, and it was in the middle of the night as well, so the darkness would also help to provide cover, and he hoped that he had not drawn undue attention. Regardless, he was unfamiliar with this world, and its unusually powerful connection to the Force was another thing to consider. Even if the natives of this world were unaware of how to use the force consciously, the Force's powerful presence alone could manifest itself in other ways.

Reaching out with his senses, he found himself faced with the dilemma of making his way out of his craft and to the surface, and he had no idea just exactly how far up the surface of the water was.

Gathering his robes about himself, he braced his body before hitting the emergency switch which would open the hatch. Water immediately rushed in, its temperature quite warm, almost hot as the super heated metal of the ship began to heat the water all around it. He would have to make his way to the surface and out of the lake fast before the water heated to the boiling point. Allowing the water to rush in long enough to eliminate the initial pressure, he swam up out of the hatch, making his way towards the faint light which glittered at the surface.

After about a minute of swimming, he broke the surface, making his way quickly to the shore line. The water was steaming, and there were areas where it was already bubbling. Crawling up the dirt shoreline, he extended his senses all around him even as he began to wring out his water soaked robes.

_'Good, it does not feel as if my landing has been noticed by any intelligent beings. I should depart quickly however. I will have to return and attempt to salvage my ship later' He_ thought to himself. He just hoped that nobody would come along before the water in the lake had a chance to cool down. He did not want any potentially aggressive beings locating it before he had a chance to remove some of his more important possessions. His craft had not hit solid earth, so there was no real trail leading into the lake.

His initial scan of the planet when he broke the atmosphere indicated that there was a large city about 50 miles away from his current crash site. It was as good a place as any to head, and hopefully he would be able to find what he needed to begin making repairs upon his ship.

Pulling his soaking hood back down over his face, his wet robes flopping about his ankles, he proceeded to walk through the dense forest.

* * *

He neared the gates of a massive wall about two hours later. They were gigantic, looming above him about a good 100 feet up. 

And they were made of plain stone.

This certainly did not bode well for this planets technology level. Ordinary stone walls were completely useless against pretty much all forms of standard weaponry used in Republic space, and it would certainly not be able to stand up to the more destructive weapons. This wall served a far more primitive and basic purpose. He let out a sigh.

No, this definitely did not look good at all.

"HEY!"

A voice caught his attention. A man glanced down at him from the top of the wall, speaking in some unknown language. Given the tone of voice however, he could easily guess what was being said. Extending his senses, he allowed the Force to flow around him, and the language he was hearing suddenly began to make sense.

"I am not here for any trouble" He began calmly, knowing that the force was working around him, allowing his words to be understood by the guard at the wall despite the lingual differences "I merely wish to be allowed in so that I might find food and shelter for the night."

"I am afraid that we don't just let anyone into Konoha at this time of night, certainly not a stranger like yourself" The man stated. He felt his irritation well up inside of him, and he had to fight against his better judgment and refrain from simply crushing the man outright. Subtlety was the key here, he still had no idea as to the defenses and power of the warriors inside the city, and until he had gauged them properly it was unwise to engage them openly. Taking a deep, calming breath he tapped into the Force.

"You will open this gate now" he said calmly, allowing the Force to flow through his words, their inflection carrying a powerful compulsion. The Force entered the guards mind as if it had been carried upon his words directly into his brain.

"I… will open the gate… now" The guard said dully, his eyes glazing slightly. A few moments later the gates began to open and the figure swept through them into the city. Once in, he again extended his senses, feeling his environment through the Force, allowing him to acquire a basic idea of the cities layout. It was an impressively large city, shaped like a half wheel centered upon the gigantic mountain with four heads carved skillfully into its surface.

As his senses extended outward, he became acutely aware of several presences in the city, like beacons of light standing out in a dark sea. Potential Force sensitives. None of them were controlled, so it was a good bet that this planet, or at least this city, had little to no knowledge of the Force. Interested in knowing more, he put a little more effort into his scan.

There were nine total; one of them was a very old man, probably in his late seventies to early eighties. The second was a younger man, probably early twenties. The third was female, also in her early twenties; she had considerable potential, though there was a strange taint in her aura. These three were of little consequence however, far too old to be trained properly. The last six were children, two of those children were about 7 years of age, and the last five were about five years old.

'_Hmmm, my landing here might actually have been advantageous after all.'_ He thought, idly letting his mind wander the city, touching each of the youngest sensitives one by one.

The first candidate was a boy, with considerable potential, though his mind seemed… unbalanced somehow. There was potential there though, a possibility that he could likely explore at another time.

The next one was a young girl. She was normal enough, nothing particularly note worthy. Her potential in the Force was quite strong though, however it seemed to be latent. Something specific would be needed to bring that potential to the surface.

Another young boy. This one possessed a very impressive and calculating mind, though his inherent laziness would make training troublesome to say the least.

The third was another young girl. Her potential was about the same as the previous girl, although her mind's processes were rather unique, something he might have to research a bit later.

The last child, well the last child had a stronger connection than all the others combined, but at the same time he had considerably lower control than the others. He would be a difficult one to train, but potentially the most rewarding. Additionally his mental state was quite stable, though his emotional state was in nearly as much flux as the first boy. Not really an issue since a stable mind would help in controlling the more unstable emotions. There was also something else about him however; a second presence within him, like a lump of pure Dark Side energy lying dormant within.

"Interesting." He mouthed to himself, his words barely audible in the night air.

Focusing his senses upon the last boy, he could feel his presence not too far away, and proceeding closer to him. He could also feel the presence of several others nearby, and judging by the dark feelings they radiated towards the boy, their intentions were quite clear.

Smiling slightly, he quickened his pace. This situation would be the perfect opportunity to test the potential of his future apprentice.

* * *

Naruto cried out as he was thrown back roughly against the wall of a small alley. He had left the orphanage and had been walking the streets alone, strangely compelled as if he were expecting something, when a group of five boys, each of them roughly 10 years of age, assaulted him. They quickly herded him into an alley, where they had immediately begun to torment him, pushing him back and forth between them while laughing crudely. One boy in particular, obviously the leader, had decided to get more serious, and gave Naruto a strong backhand to the face, sending him against the wall. 

Fighting to keep his tears down, Naruto glared back at them, his blue eyes sharp and cold as ice. A bit taken aback at his frigid glare, and perhaps a little embarrassed by his own nervousness, the older boy stopped laughing and began to lace into him viciously.

"How do you like that, huh! Stupid!" The boy crowed, his fist coming in again and again, beating at the smaller boys crumpled form. The other boys continued to laugh and jeer around him, their fingers pointing cruelly towards him.

Fear rose up in Naruto's gut. It was a familiar sensation, one that he experienced on a daily basis. And it was an emotion that brought with it another familiar feeling; Hate. Hatred against those who would hurt him, and hatred against the village who constantly looked down on him as if he were some sort of insect, and finally hatred at himself and his own weakness. At that thought, he felt his rage dissipate as it was replaced by cold despair. He was not strong, he couldn't even defend himself from the pain that was wrought on him every day of his life. No matter where he went and what he did, he was always hurt, or cast aside.

_--Use those feelings.--_

"Huh?" Naruto mumbled, surprised. Another flash of pain as a foot kicked him roughly in the side, but the pain seemed dulled as his attention was caught by the strange ghostly voice in his mind.

_--I will help you. Use your feelings. Feel them flow within you.--_

Though not consciously understanding the instructions, Naruto instinctively followed the advice. A sudden wave of sensation rippled through him. Startled, Naruto let it slip, and felt it ebb away.

_--Do not be frightened. Feel the energy within you.--_

Instinctively, not really knowing or even understanding what was going on, Naruto let that sensation build up again.

_--Good. Now let it flow out and around you, then… Release!--_

He did not know who the voice belonged to, but for some reason he trusted it. Not really understanding how he was doing it, he allowed the strange feeling to flow around him, and with some effort, he pushed it outward. The air around him seemed to ripple and distort before expanding outwards sharply, like a ripple in a pond.

Caught completely off guard, the older boy was thrown violently back, impacting heavily against the wall behind him with a sickening thud. He slumped limply to the ground.

The other boys, totally shocked by what they had seen, began to scream before their voices were cut off abruptly. Like puppets with their strings cut, they suddenly slumped to the ground as well.

To tired and hurt to even notice the odd phenomenon, Naruto stood up unsteadily and began to walk home in a daze, his young mind still attempting to process what had happened. One thing that stood out vividly in his mind however was that strange voice.

So caught up in his thoughts, Naruto failed to notice the dark figure standing a short distance away, his robe blowing lightly in the breeze as he watched him depart.

* * *

He smiled lightly as he witnessed the young boys' potential grasp of the Force. Like he had anticipated the boy had a great latent talent, one that he knew he could strengthen. 

But he would have to proceed with caution. He would approach the boy tomorrow, and if things went well he would take him into his custody. From there, under his tutelage, he would train his new apprentice.

He chuckled to himself. His old master would be proud with his choice.

Looking back once more towards the boys retreating figure, he then glanced over at the boys lying slumped in the street. This was a loose end that would need to be cleaned up; otherwise it would draw too much attention to his presence in this city before he was ready.

Concentrating on them, he began manipulating the Force in their bodies, healing their wounds while at the same time erasing their memories of the past hour. They would come to in a few moments, confused but unharmed. Not the way he would have preferred to do things, but the most efficient.

Smiling with satisfaction, he turned on his heel and left them in the alley. There was a rather nice looking hotel he had passed a few blocks back, that would do for the night.

* * *

Naruto slumped into bed, utterly exhausted. His bruised body was already beginning to feel a bit better as his accelerated regeneration began to work. While he was uncertain as to why he healed so fast, he found himself very grateful that he did, as the beatings he took daily would otherwise mount up and become very painful. 

Remembering the pain, he also remembered that strange voice in his head, the one that had urged him to 'use his feelings' as it put it. And when he had used it, he had felt something, something he could not identify.

It had made him feel powerful for the first time in his young life, and he wanted to feel it again.

* * *

Sarutobi shot upright in his bed as a strange premonition engulfed him. Getting out of bed, he walked over to his crystal ball which he kept constantly close by, quickly forming the seals that would activate the crystals divination ability. As soon as the seals were performed, an aerial image of Konoha appeared in the glass surface before quickly descending downwards into the streets. 

The Third was not even sure what it was that he was looking for, only that, for a brief instant he had felt a power suspiciously similar to the Kyuubi, though it seemed further augmented by some other force. With this thought he concentrated on the image of the young boy.

"Thank the Kami." He sighed in relief as he found the boy in his bed, no sign of any weaknesses in his seal. After spending a few more moments to make certain that there was nothing else wrong with the boy, he continued to scan the city streets, ultimately finding nothing.

Still concerned, it took him a few moments before he was able to settle down, passing off these premonitions as the paranoia of an aging mind. Content that everything was as it should be, he once again went back to sleep.

* * *

He had felt the scan quickly enough to shield his presence before it detected him. Though hardly difficult to counter, he had to marvel at the capabilities of one who had no formal training in the Force. Had the old man been trained as such he might have been quite formidable, his precognizant abilities could possibly have matched that of his former teacher. 

But that was not an issue, his current interest lie in that boy he had seen earlier.

Coming across the hotel he had spotted, it was a simple matter to arrange for a room for the night, the fact that he lacked a locally acceptable form a currency was inconsequential when he was able to 'convince' the managers to allow him to stay for free. Settling down for the night in his room, he assumed the customary meditative position, allowing his mind to touch the Force around him. As he did, he kept a discreet eye on his future ward all through the night.

* * *

The next morning seemed to come all too quickly for Naruto as he was, once again, awoken rather rudely by one of the other boys who had taken it upon himself to rouse him the most irritating manner. Picking himself off the floor where he had unceremoniously been thrown, Naruto cast a spiteful glare at him, noting with some satisfaction that the other boy seemed to shrink away slightly. 

Quickly slipping on his black t-shirt, he left the orphanage as quickly as he could, just glad to escape the stifling confines of the small building. While being out on the street was no friendlier, there were still plenty of places where he could find a bit of peace and solitude.

It was not like he enjoyed being alone, but living day to day without any friends, everyone turning up their noses at him, being alone was certainly preferable.

The streets of Konoha were already bustling with activity when he made his way out into the streets. As per usual, as soon as he set foot out in the street the entire mood of everyone in the area seemed to change, as if the temperature suddenly dropped below freezing. People who were chatting amicably went quiet, their eyes tracking the small boy as he ran down the road. Mothers drew their children closely to them, glaring with undisguised loathing at him.

Every now and then, ominous whispers would make their way through the crowd:

"That's him isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's definitely him."

"Little monster."

"Why is he allowed to run around freely…?"

"You know the law…"

Naruto pointedly ignored all of this, having been putting up with such treatment for as long as he could remember. He had heard the whispers before, had seen the stares. He knew that he was not liked, that for some reason everyone hated him. And he would hate them back, after all what else could he do? He didn't know how to react to such feelings.

But it still hurt.

He was jarred from his thoughts as he was thrown roughly aside by a passerby. Not even bothering to look back they kept walking, muttering something under their breath. Forcing his feelings down, he glared at their back. Despite the defiant face however, his eyes began to moisten. He wiped at them as he got up and began to run, the whispers and glares seeming to burn into his back as he ran.

* * *

The figure watched the boy as he had left the orphanage, noting idly the villager's odd treatment of him, feeling the deep seeded anger and hate that they held towards him. 

"Oh well, this will just make things easier in the long run."

Ignoring the gossiping whispers in regards to his own presence, he followed after the boy.

* * *

Naruto came to a small clearing after a few minutes of running. This was one of his favorite spots, a place where few people seemed to frequent. A single swing hung forlornly from one of the tree branches. He sat down upon it, leaning his small body against the rope as he looked longingly towards a building a short distance away. 

The Shinobi Academy.

He had dreamed of one day going there. He knew that the shinobi held positions of great importance in the village, some of whom were known as great heroes and warriors. They were respected, liked, and acknowledged by the people of the village. He gave a deep sigh.

"Rough day I take it?"

Shooting off the swing abruptly as he was startled by his reverie, Naruto turned towards the source of the voice. A robed man was walking towards him, his steps relaxed and fluid, his robes flowing about his ankles lightly as he walked. His face was partially obscured by his hood, though the mouth was visible and turned upwards in a friendly smile.

He watched the stranger warily as he came and sat down on the grass just a short ways away, expecting some cold scathing remark or insult, or even a beating.

However, the man simply sat down, and, motioned for Naruto to resume his seat upon the swing. Naruto took his seat again, his blue eyes fixed warily on the stranger, who seemed unperturbed by his gaze.

"What do you want?" Naruto mumbled defensively.

The man simply smiled and said "You hate it don't you?"

Naruto blinked at the rather bold question. Something was nagging at him from the back of his mind. His eyes shot open as he recalled the events of last night, the voice in his head saying all those weird things. It was the same voice. Swallowing the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, he asked "W-what do you… mean?"

Though his eyes were obscured, Naruto somehow got the distinct impression that this man was somehow looking right through him. "Your life. You hate it, you're tired of it." He shifted his gaze out towards the village, "I can't say I blame you."

"Why do you want to know!" He challenged. His tone was lighter than his initial question, betraying a small degree of hope.

The man merely shrugged "I was just curious. It does not seem that you are well liked around this town, that's all."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" He shouted. Seemingly friendly or not, he was not in the mood to be made fun of today.

Raising his hands in a placating gesture, he responded "True enough I suppose." He chuckled lightly. It was not a derisive chuckle, but rather one that seemed almost understanding, as if he were sharing some private joke with him.

"What do you want? If you're just trying to make fun of me then…."

"I am not trying to make fun of you."

"THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT!"

The man put a gloved finger to his lips, as if he were considering something before turning to him, "To make a proposition of sorts."

Naruto blinked again.

"What's a prop… propa…" He stuttered, stumbling clumsily over the unfamiliar word.

"Proposition?" The man supplied helpfully, "it's an offer. I wish to offer you something."

"…Oh."

"What if I offered you chance to become something and someone that everybody around you acknowledged and respected?" The man asked quietly.

That got Naruto's attention. His anger quickly forgotten, he looked at the stranger with inquisitive eyes. Still this was a complete stranger, and while most people probably would not lose any sleep if anything were to happen to him, basic survival instincts still came into play.

"…I don't know…"

"What do you have to lose?" The man shrugged. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life being hated and despised? Do you want to live the rest of your life weak? Or would you rather make something of yourself? I can teach you how, but it will require trust."

"Make what of myself? What do you mean?"

"You have a power within you, a power that is dormant. I could help you to awaken that power, teach you how to wield it. I could give you the means to shape your own life, forge your own fate. Now tell me, does that interest you?"

"What kind of power?" Naruto asked quietly.

He smiled lightly at the young boy. Apparently a demonstration was in order. Glancing around to make certain that there were no unwanted onlookers, he called upon the Force.

Naruto gasped in shock and awe as he was suddenly lifted off the swing, floating about in mid air. His short legs kicked futilely in the air. After a few moments he was gently set down again.

"THAT WAS AWSOME!"

The man simply nodded his head.

"What was that? I can do that!" Naruto chattered excitedly, his wariness completely dispelled by the surge of excitement that had risen up inside of him.

"That is just a fraction of what I can do. I will teach you more, though for both our sakes I would suggest that you come to live with me. There I can teach you the ways of the Force."

The young boy tilted his head inquisitively, "The Force."

Shaking his head as he rose to his feet, he extended his hand to Naruto. Hesitating for only a moment, Naruto then accepted the hand gladly.

"That is an explanation that will have to wait. I will come to pick you up at the orphanage by this time tomorrow. Your training will begin then."

Overcome with a sudden surge of excitement and happiness, little Naruto lept off the swing, running over and grasping at the hem of the mans robes.

"Ne, ne mister, what's your name?" Naruto chirped excitedly. This was like a dream come true. He had finally met someone who did not seem to hate him, and he was even going to be adopted. Not to mention that he would be taught this 'Force' thingy.

"Xander Dace."

"That's a funny name, Xander-san."

Xander chuckled "It works for me."

Letting go of his hold and grinning widely at him, Naruto took off down the path, an extra spring in his step.

Xander watched him go, his smile twisting into a smirk.

"That went quite well…" He whispered into the wind.

"Quite well indeed…"

* * *

First item on his to-do list was to learn the native language. Speaking through the Force was all well and good, but unnecessarily draining. Taking a few moments before leaving town, Xander located a single wandering villager, and after some 'persuasion' led them down an alley way where he could work without interference. 

Tapping into a sentient beings mind was child's play, especially against those who were untrained. It took only a few moments to fully extract and absorb the language into his mind, though the process was, per usual, a rather uncomfortable one. Fully absorbing the intricacies of an entire language in the space of a few minutes could cause quite a headache. With that little errand taken care of, he left the drooling vegetable of a man slumped in the alleyway.

Next on the to-do list: housing. Living within the village walls was out, too many people around to witness the training that he would put young Naruto through. There were numerous places out in the vast woodlands between here and his crash site that would make ideal locations, each bearing a strong resonance with the Force. One place in particular had strong ties, probably a crystal cave, which was perfect.

Leaving the village had not been very difficult. While he supposed that the village's defenses were formidable against their common foes, they had no way of defending against his powers. Bending the light around himself, he walked through the open gates out into the wilderness unnoticed. With his new apprentice nearly secured, Xander felt that it was time to make his way back to the remnants of his craft to salvage what he could. There was a rather large collection of Hollocrons still on board, hopefully most of them had remained functional. He would also have to spend the night constructing a suitable home for the both of them. After all, it appeared that he would be here for a while.

* * *

The next day could not come soon enough for Naruto. Yesterday had been probably the single happiest day in his life. He went through the rest of the day utterly blissful, completely ignoring the usual attitude of the villagers. He didn't have to care about what they thought anymore. 

He was going to be adopted.

Needless to say he didn't sleep well that night. He lay awake, staring out the window, wishing that tomorrow would come soon, and hoping that this was not a dream.

* * *

"It's time." 

Xander made his way through town at a leisurely pace, ignoring the stares that he was getting. He knew perfectly well that he stood out, his robes a far cry from the average dress of the common citizenry. It was not the garb of one of these 'shinobi' either, one of those strange warriors who protected the city. He would have to do some study on them to see what they were capable of.

He reached the orphanage at around noon. Walking in, he greeted the woman at the front desk brusquely.

"OH! Welcome, welcome!" she crowed, her rather wrinkled face crinkling with a smile. She seemed kind enough, obviously happy that some one had come looking to adopt a child.

"Are you here to adopt?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, actually I…"

"Wonderful! I will call out the children right away and…"

"Actually that won't be necessary. There is a particular child here that I had in mind." He said quickly. He really did not want to cause a large scene with this.

"Oh…" The request obviously took the poor woman by surprise. It was not very often that someone came in looking for a particular child. "And who is the lucky child?"

"The young blond haired boy, Naruto I believe."

No sooner had the name left his mouth, the woman's expression darkened noticeably. "Oh… that one" she deadpanned. Recovering, she forced a smile on her face and leaned in towards him over the counter, "I would highly suggest you chose a different child to adopt. That one is nothing but trouble, amongst other things." She whispered, as if sharing some big secret.

Xanders face remained impassive "Regardless, that is who I am here for."

The woman's smile, if anything, became more pronounced, a sheen of sweat breaking out on her forehead "Really sir, I really must recommend you choose another child. There are many children here who are much more worthy of a new home and…"

This was getting very old very quickly. What ever secret this boy possessed was certainly a guarded one, but to be guarded to such a ridiculous degree. It didn't matter however, and frankly he had better things he could be doing than arguing with this leather faced old woman all day. He reached out with the Force.

"You will bring the boy out now." He said calmly.

Predictably, the woman nodded her ascent, repeating his instructions dully. She turned and left the room briefly before coming back, leading an ecstatic Naruto into the room.

"Ok here he is." She grumbled, shoving him roughly forward. Ignoring the boys glare, she reached around her desk, fishing out a small stack of papers. Bringing them out she slapped them down on the counter, not even bothering to hide her scowl.

"You will need to sign these."

'Oh for the love of… I don't have time for this' "I don't need to sign anything" He stated, waving his hand slightly to reinforce the suggestion.

"Oh, you don't need to sign anything after all. Good day." She repeated.

With Naruto clinging to the sleeves of his robe, he made his way out of the orphanage, walking quickly towards the city gates.

'What a pain in the ass.' He thought to himself. His mind then wandered towards the small boy he had just taken in.

'What secrets do you hide I wonder… Well there will be plenty of time to find out for myself.'

"So where are we going Xander-san?" Naruto asked brightly.

He shrugged, "I have a small home out in the forest. It should provide us with a good amount of privacy, which is essential for proper training. But we are still close enough to the village so that we may come and collect any supplies that we might need while we are here."

"Oh…" Naruto said. He looked disappointed that they were not going further.

Xander smiled at him, easily reading his emotions. The location was chosen for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was its strong connection to the Force. There were other reasons as well, but none that the boy had to know about just yet.

"Don't worry. For the first few years of your training I doubt you will have much interaction with this village at all. So don't worry about it."

"OK!" That seemed to cheer him up.

They remained silent for the rest of their trip, slowing only momentarily to slip past the guards at the gate before they made their way out into the vast wilderness.

* * *

"Damnit, what is going on!" 

Sarutobi had been trying all morning to get a lock on Naruto. Something in his gut was telling him that something had happened, or that something would happen, but when he had gone to look, all he got was static.

Apparently something had already happened.

This was not some freak occurrence. His crystal ball did not simply go on the fritz like some beat up old television set. Only other Kage had the kind of power required to block his crystal ball, and the fact that it was being blocked now, when Naruto was the target, set the old man on edge.

A million possibilities ran through his mind all at once, almost all of them bad.

'I will have to have the ANBU search for him. The demon fox the boy carries is something far too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands.

* * *

COMING NEXT: Chapter 2: Training and Meetings. 

Naruto begins his training under the mysterious Xander Dace. He will come to know the ways of the Force and his own abilities, and get a better look at the abilities of his teacher. And a curious Xander makes contact with a certain Nine-Tails demon fox.

* * *

_AN: How was it? Interesting? As far as I know there is only one other Naruto/Star Wars x-over that I have seen, so I hope this turns out to be pretty unique._ _This has been sitting, nearly complete, on my hardrive for nearly a year now. I figured that, what the hey, I'll go ahead and post this chapter and see what peoples reactions are._

_Some Star Wars purists might find cause to reprimand me on how I perceive the Force, claiming that I am allowing the Force to be too powerful. That is not how I see it. Considering what the Force is, it is reasonable to assume that given that the user has the requisite power and control, the Force can do just about anything. Take one of the main bad guys from KOTOR II. He was able to destroy entire planets through the Force, and feed upon their life essences to feed his own hunger. That is pretty damn powerful if you ask me, and since he was capable of doing so, I am sure that the Force can do other amazing and frightening things as well. So this story will also involve my own exploration of the Force and its abilities._

_Depicting Naruto at age five was rather difficult, mainly because I know that he was considerably different than he is when we first see him in the manga. I wanted to portray him as a rather quiet boy at this age, before he gets older and decides to force people to acknowledge him by being his usual loud obnoxious self._

_All things considered though, it is rather odd that I am writing this. I am not particularly fond of any of the Star Wars movies, and most of the books are something of a bore for me as well. The KOTOR games however, those were a lot of fun. And I'll admit that the basic concept behind Star Wars was really neat as well, so I figured why the hell not?_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or Naruto. I just own my original character and that's it… Damn it…

"Speech"

'_Thoughts'_

"**KYUUBI SPEECH"**

'_**KYUUBI THOUGHTS'**_

--Force speech--

* * *

Echoes

* * *

_Peace is a lie; there is only Passion._

_Through Passion I gain Strength._

_Through Strength I gain Power._

_Through Power I gain Victory._

_Through Victory my Bonds are Broken._

_The Force shall Free Me._

_-Code of the Sith._

Chapter 2: Training and Meetings.

Something felt… wrong…

It was a difficult sensation to place. It wasn't like anything had changed. The building was still the same; the same people came and went. The same children laughed and played in the hallways, each hoping for their opportunity to find themselves a new home.

Everything seemed perfectly normal.

So why then, did she get the feeling that something was missing?

It was like a sudden emptiness had suddenly appeared, just in the last few hours. She was at a loss as to how to explain it any other way. She just knew that something had happened, something had gone missing.

There was also that strange sensation that she had felt last night…

She walked through the hallways, occasionally swerving to avoid the running, flailing bodies of the other children in the small orphanage. Their laughter filled the air as it always did. Didn't they notice too? Didn't they realize that something was wrong?

She stopped just short of the door way leading to the caretakers room, hearing voices talking within.

"WHAT! That little beast was actually adopted?"

Little beast? Adopted? What was going on?

"Yes, just earlier today in fact. A man came in looking to adopt him. I told him that he would have been better off adopting one of our other children. But apparently he was set on him."

Who? Who were they talking about?

"How strange. But what an idiot. Nobody in their right minds would want that little piece of trash."

She really didn't like where this conversation was going. The caretaker, who was normally warm and kind was speaking with such loathing that she almost couldn't believe that it was the same person.

"But… that wasn't the strangest part. The man who came in, he was… different. He wore strange clothes, heavy robes actually. And there was something… frightening… about him. I don't know how to explain it. He seemed decent enough, but at the same time…" She trailed off.

There was a moment of silence before the other woman responded "… Oh well. As they say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. We should be grateful that that brat Naruto is gone. It should be much more peaceful around here now."

Naruto-kun? They were talking about Naruto-kun?

"Yes, you're right. It really is good that he is gone. I don't know what Hokage-sama was thinking when he told us to take him in."

She couldn't stand sitting here listening to this anymore. She wanted to understand what was going on.

"Ano…"

The two women looked up, mildly startled. They recovered quickly however, each smiling warmly at her. They seemed so sincere that she could almost write off the horrible things that they were saying just seconds ago.

Almost, but not quite.

"Yes, Kaori-chan? What is it? Did one of the boys pick on you again?"

"Ummm, n-no…" She mumbled. She looked down slightly, absently dragging her toe in little circles across the wood floor.

"Then what is the matter?" She said, no less kindly. Still, it felt off now. She could still remember how the woman spoke not too long ago. Her kindness now seemed so fake, like a mask.

"… Nothing…" she said quietly.

Dejectedly, Kaori left the room.

* * *

A masked ninja dropped lightly to the ground from the trees, landing in a small clearing. Looking about, he gauged his surroundings, lightly placing a hand on the forest floor as if feeling the ground for any traces of those who might have passed by. Several other figures were doing the same, each bearing an animal mask which marked them as members of the ANBU. 

A small sound caught the ninja's attention. Looking down, he came face to face with what looked to be a small bull dog.

"Hey boss. I think I picked up the trail. They went west from here awhile ago. One of the other ANBU squads is already in pursuit." The dog stated, lightly scratching at his ear.

The ninja nodded, slipping off his mask so that he could better speak to the animal. His face underneath was half covered with another mask, this one made of cloth. His headband, which marked him as a leaf ninja was drooped over his left eye.

"Good job Pakun." Kakashi said, giving the small ninja dog a pat on the head. He then turned his one exposed eye out into the forest.

Something about this situation had him deeply troubled. The Hokage also shared his sentiments. For someone to have taken an interest in Naruto meant only one thing: they were after the Kyuubi. Even though he was one of the few who did not hold anything personal against the boy, he knew that the majority of the people in the village would have happily killed him rather than go through the trouble of adopting him. Not to mention that the Hokage specifically ordered the orphanage to keep Naruto in their custody, no matter who might come by. It was not an order the orphanage had accepted well, but they knew better than to go against the Hokage's orders.

And there was that strange presence that he had felt late last night. He wasn't sure what to make of it; he had certainly never felt anything like it before. It was not a chakra signature or anything similar. Rather, it felt as if a massive presence had suddenly blanketed the entire city. He felt something, or someone, looking into his mind, scanning him…

Of course that was ridiculous. There wasn't a jutsu created that could do something of that magnitude.

"So what's the next move boss?" Pakun asked, apparently eager to go. Kakashi considered it for the moment.

"Let's go. I would like to see for myself just what is going on and who has taken Naruto." Kakshi let out a low whistle. Within seconds the other members of his squad had gathered in front of him, five total.

"Naruto and his abductor have been tracked westward. We will join the squad that is giving pursuit. Move out." The other squad members nodded their affirmation. Then as one they leapt into the trees.

Still, Kakashi had a very bad feeling about all this.

* * *

'_This is getting more and more interesting'_ Xander thought to himself as he and his new ward walked briskly through the dense forest just outside of the village. In just a few moments the forest seemed to come alive as numerous figures began to systematically search the forest. Not that they would be able to find them of course. At least, not until he was ready. 

He had felt the presence of nearly a dozen pursuers a few minutes after leaving the gates, an incredibly fast and confusing response. This of course just raised even more questions in his mind. The boy was obviously not well liked considering the problem he had in adopting him. Hated, actually. He could feel the sheer spite and loathing that the people of the city had towards him, their malice easily perceptible even without the Force. So, logically, his disappearance should not have caused such a massive stir. Certainly not enough to fully mobilize such a massive search party so quickly.

Just what was it about him?

Next to him, Naruto seemed off in his own little world, clinging happily to the long sleeve of his robe.

There was no doubt that the boy's raw talent in the Force was unnoticed by the locals. He had felt enough to know that they were far too primitive to sense as such. So that reason was out. Which left, of course, that strange presence within him.

There were abilities in the Force which he remembered studying which were capable of achieving something quite similar to what Naruto seemed to possess, involving the inserting of the essence of one life form into another. So the possibility itself was not all that surprising, rather that it was performed by a people who otherwise demonstrated no knowledge of the necessary methods of achieving such. It was something that he would be sure to study when he had the luxury to do so. Now, however, there simply was no time.

A wave sensation through the Force caught his attention. Several of their hunters were beginning to gain on them, five of them to be exact. They were several hundred yards away and gaining fast.

He continued to walk at a leisurely pace. He had no worries, no worries at all. Let them make the first move. This would give him the advantage.

A small tug at his sleeve pulled his attention back to the young boy. Naruto looked up at him with inquisitive eyes, obviously feeling that something was amiss about their current situation.

"Ano… Xander-san, what's going on?" He asked.

'_How perceptive_.' Xander smiled down at him "It would seem that news of your adoption did not go over well with the village you came from." He explained.

Naruto's smile turned to a look of shock "W-what?"

Xander kept walking "It would seem that we are being hunted. Apparently they are out to kill us."

Naruto looked at him, shock clearly evident on his face. He scrunched up his nose slightly as he attempted to reason out this terrifying turn of events "But why, Xander-san! WHY?" He wiped at his eyes with his small hands, his cheeks turning red as pent up emotion began to surge out of him.

Xander simply laid a comforting hand on his small shoulder.

"Run."

"What!" Naruto asked, shocked. He clung tighter to Xanders robe.

"I said run." He repeated.

"But…"

"Now." He said again, still with that unflinching calm.

Naruto was about to argue some more, but a sudden push from behind sent him stumbling forward. What had pushed him? Xander-san still had his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe.

"Now go."

Looking back one more time, the terrified and confused child bolted into the woods. Once he was out of sight, Xander smiled to himself, a smile that was more predatory than kind as he had used with Naruto.

"Might as well test the competition a little now."

With that, he leapt upwards into the forest canopy far above. Only a few falling leaves marked his departure.

* * *

Kakashi and his squad arrived on the scene only shortly after the other squad did. After getting a more thorough report from the squad's leader, Shinji, Kakashi surveyed the forest about for any signs of either Naruto or his mysterious abductor. 

"Prepare for a sweep of the forest" Kakashi stated, signaling with his hand. The other ANBU nodded their heads in affirmation, each of them immediately breaking off into groups of two to scour the woodlands.

Keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings, Kakashi and Shinji continued forward into the forest, both of them keeping their senses open for any sign of an enemy ninja.

"They're here, I know it." Kakashi stated. There was a definite tingle on the back of his neck, and he was experienced enough to trust his instincts.

"A third squad, led by captain Ucchia is on its way as well, captain Hatake." Shinji answered. Kakashi closed his one eye in exasperation. He never did feel comfortable around Itachi, the young recently promoted ANBU giving him a bad feeling every time he was around. Still, the help would be useful, and while he found his company disturbing, he could not doubt Itachi's abilities.

* * *

One of the five 2-man groups was currently wandering a short distance away from their respective squad leader's group. Both were on full alert, each making sure to keep an eye out in all directions for any ambush. If any enemy were to attack, they would be more than… 

A sudden faint noise caught the attention of one of the two men. Stopping short, he motioned for his partner to stop and listen as well. After a moment, when the sound did not repeat, the ANBU relaxed slightly, turning back to discuss the situation with his companion.

Only to find that he was not there.

"What the hel…"

He did not get to finish as he was suddenly lifted bodily into the air then slammed violently to the ground repeatedly. His now broken body was then dragged quickly and silently into the bushes.

* * *

Another group on the opposite end of the sweep was also keeping a sharp eye out. Keeping their kunai drawn, they swept through the woodlands, periodically stopping to check suspicious bushes and shrubs for any lurkers. 

"Geeze, frankly I don't see why captain Hatake is so certain that they're even any where near Konoha. I mean, they could be long gone by now." One whispered to the other. The other nodded.

"I know what you mean, but still, it is the word of Hatake Kakashi. He is certainly known for his good instincts."

The first ninja nodded in agreement, turning back to look out into the forest "True, it's not that I don't trust him it's just…" His voice cut off suddenly as a spurt of blood flew from his mouth. He dropped to the ground with a soft thud, a bloody kunai in the back of his skull.

The other ninja stood gapping in horror at what had just transpired. Before he had even been able to react, one of his kunai was suddenly whipped from his belt, as if held by some invisible hand, then thrust swiftly into the back of his companions head.

"W-what is… what is going on!" He stuttered. He had never seen anything like it before. Looking about frantically he kept his already drawn kunai in front of him. He inched forward, looking all about in search of his mysterious attacker.

As he turned, he was unaware of the threat directly behind him as the kunai which was imbedded in his companions head rose again into the air, and was then thrown swiftly into the base of his spine.

* * *

Naruto continued to run as fast as possible, but for a five year old boy that was hardly quick. After only a few short minutes he was already winded to the point that he had to stop and catch is breath. He shivered slightly, even though it was quite warm out. 

He sniffled a bit, biting back tears that began to run down his cheeks. He could hear several voices coming from a short distance away, no doubt the people that had come to kill him. Why would Xander leave him at a time like this?

A shout caught his attention. Turning, he saw two ninjas, one of whom was wearing what looked to be a wolf head mask. The other was unmasked, or at least partially, for a cloth mask covered his mouth. It was this ninja who pointed in his direction and gave the shout.

His fear re-kindled, Naruto began running again, desperately ignoring his aching legs and burning lungs. Behind him, he could hear his hunters gaining on him.

He had no doubt that they would catch him at this rate.

* * *

"What is going on here?" 

One minute his companion was walking right next to him, the next she suddenly shot upwards into the canopy above, only to drop down a second later, hitting the ground with a bone crushing thump. She was then lifted again and smashed down again, being dribbled against the ground briefly before she was left to lie, her limbs broken and her neck twisted.

He was about to shout an alarm when he felt his throat close up, cutting off the sound before it made it to the surface. He felt himself being lifted upwards by the throat, about thirty feet off the ground, before he was propelled with tremendous force into the trunk of one of the massive trees. All went dark.

* * *

The broken body fell to the ground a short distance from where it had been pummeled repeatedly into a tree, the broken ANBU masking chipping off a youthful feminine face. A short distance away, another body lay, crushed into the ground as if some massive force had smashed it down, a small crater having been formed around the bloody body. 

A shadowy figure darted across the tree tops above.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Kakashi asked, stopping. Shinji next to him stopped as well, listening to the faint sounds of the forest about them. 

"What did you hear?"

Kakashi removed his ANBU mask, then, grasping his headband, lifted it up and straightened it on his forehead, revealing his Sharingan eye. The three dots in the eye began to spin lazily as he activated the eye, trying to get a better view of the surroundings, hoping to catch any movement that his other eye could not.

"There!" He said, spotting a hint of movement up ahead. A small figure, now aware that it had been found, took off through the trees as quickly as it could.

There he was. Kakashi could not help but feel a small sense of relief.

"I got him." Shinji stated, taking off in pursuit. Kakashi began to give chase as well, but stopped.

'_What is this strange feeling that I have?'_

It nagged at him, like something just at the fringes of his mind. And that presence was here again; the one he had felt the night before last. His eyes widened in sudden fear.

"Wait, Shinji don't…!" He began.

"What…AAAAAAHHH!" Shinji began in mid run before he was propelled bodily into a tree a few feet away. He was then flung against the tree opposite, then back again, his body slammed back and forth upwards until he was then thrown headfirst into the ground. His body lay still.

Drawing his kunai, Kakashi took up a fighting stance, the wheel of his Sharingan were spinning rapidly at this point, taking in everything around him. Yet he could detect absolutely no movement that was out of the ordinary. Naruto crouched about 100 feet away, shivering against the base of a massive tree.

What had killed Shinji? Even with his Sharingan activated he had seen nothing, nothing at all. It was as if an invisible giant had simply picked him up and thrown him about like a rag doll.

A strange sensation was his only warning as he felt his body suddenly propelled upwards and forwards towards one of the massive trees. In desperation, he quickly clung to a sturdy branch as he flew past, barely managing to hold on until the strange force abated.

At least for a time.

He was thrown again, wrenched free from his grip and thrown swiftly towards the ground below. Again he barely managed to react, rolling with the fall to avoid landing on his head. Still, he could feel one of his legs give out, a sharp pain shooting up his right thigh as he landed. He tried to get to his feet.

"I must say, you're at least more competent and stubborn than your companions were."

Shocked at the sudden unfamiliar voice, Kakashi looked upwards to see a cloaked figure float gently to the ground from far above. Nearly his entire face was concealed from view, leaving only his mouth visible. Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?" Kakashi demanded. The figure before him stood passively, his hands concealed within his long sleeves, folded before him. He cocked his hooded head slightly, as if amused by the inquiry.

"Names and identities matter little to the dead, I'm afraid." He responded casually.

Kakashi quickly reached down into one of the small pockets on his vest, pulling out a small whistle. Putting it to his masked mouth he began to blow.

"If you're trying to call your companions, I'm afraid they won't be answering anytime soon. Or ever, actually." He said, still calm. The man then turned around to walk towards Naruto.

"Are you ok, Naruto." He asked, much to Kakashi's shock. The small boy sniffled a few times before nodding.

Reigning in his confusion, Kakashi immediately took advantage of his enemy's apparent carelessness. Drawing out ten kunai, the handle ring wrapping around each finger, he threw them towards his opponent. They never made it, however, each one stopping in mid-air just inches away from striking their target. Then, one by one, each kunai imploded in on themselves, crinkling as if each of them were made of nothing more than tinfoil. The now useless lumps of metal dropped to the ground.

"Is that it? Such a primitive creature." Xander quipped, not even bothering to turn around.

Kakashi, managing to bite back the pain in his right leg, managed to get unsteadily to his feet. His leg was certainly broken, and he would not be able to move well on it. That meant that he would have to end this quickly. Moving his hands into a series of complicated seals, he began building up his chakra. In the middle of his hand seals, however, his hands and fingers suddenly froze.

"Wh-what?"

His frozen hands were then forcibly pried apart, his arms thrust out onto either side of his body. He could feel himself once again being lifted into the air. He struggled, but his arms felt as if something massive and unbelievably strong were gripping them, preventing them from moving. Then he felt each of his limbs being pulled in different directions. He began to groan in pain, as his especially sensitive right leg was being pulled slowly, painfully slowly from its socket.

Xander walked up to him, the only hint that he had anything to do with the attack was the look of mild concentration on his face.

"Now then, what to do with you." He mused to himself, lost in thought. He had the look of someone who was staring off into space. Behind him, Naruto looked on dumbstruck, his face giving a mixture of horror and awe at the unfolding situation. The force of the pull on his limbs increased. Xander continued to stand there, his calm countenance mocking. Then, without warning, the pressure stopped, and he felt himself dropping to the ground.

"I could simply kill you. However…" He stated casually, as if simply making light conversation. He clicked his tongue idly in thought. Then, apparently coming to some sort of decision, he reached down and put his gloved hand against Kakashi's forehead.

"You'll be far more useful to me this way…"

It felt as if his mind were suddenly exploding within his skull. He had the strange sensation that something within him was being burned away.

Then, as soon as the horrible pain began, it subsided. He opened his eyes and looked around. What had happened?

That's right, now he remembered. He and his squad had been scouring the forest in an attempt to locate Naruto when they were taken by surprise by a group of enemy ninjas, each of which was apparently in on the abduction. Looking about he could see Shinji's body lying a few feet away. His own body was in terrible shape. They were indeed a very strong group of shinobi to put him in such a state.

Wait… that didn't seem right…

Thinking about it brought a dull ache to his head however, and any attempt to siphon through his memories turned up nothing to the contrary. Yet he still felt it was odd that he would have such a hazy recollection.

Sounds in the distance alerted him to the approach of Itachi's support squad. He certainly could have used them sooner than later.

His body aching, he drew forth his whistle again and blew on it. He heard another whistle respond in kind. Relaxing a bit now that he knew he had been found, Kakashi lay back, breathing heavily as he tried to relax his wounded body. One odd thought nagged at him though.

Why did he get the impression that he had tried to use the whistle before?

* * *

He and Xander left the masked ninja writhing on the ground, his body twitching slightly before finaly going still. Turning to look at the older man, Naruto tugged on his sleeve. 

"Hmm?" Xander mumbled.

"Ano… did you, ummmm… did you k-kill him, Xander-san."

"No. I just set the stage." He answered. Naruto furrowed his brow.

"Huh?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about it. Besides, were almost home."

The mention of the word 'home' immediately drove away any other thoughts that Naruto had. His heart pumping with renewed excitement, he clung happily to his new father's robes as they made their way to their new home.

* * *

"There he is, there he is!" One ANBU exclaimed. Itachi and the rest of the squad landed in the small glade where Kakashi lay. One of the ninjas, one of the few qualified medinin's in Konoha immediately made their way over and began to inspect Kakashi's body, working a small jutsu to help speed the recovery process. Itachi, meanwhile, began to survey the area. 

They had come across the remains of the other members of both Kakashi's and Shinji's squads. That they had been killed was obvious, but the way they had been killed was far more mysterious. Many of them looked as if their entire bodies had been bludgeoned to death, while one group seems to have been killed by one of their own kunai. Another two were simply missing.

Just what could have done this?

Itachi could not help but feel a bit… intrigued. What ever did this was capable of far more than any ordinary shinobi, that much was certain, and being an Ucchia, he could feel the burning desire to learn whatever jutsu that this enemy used.

* * *

"Whoa…" 

Naruto stood, somewhat awed, by the structure that would be his new home. It was strange in design, looking almost like a gigantic bird. Its metal surface gleamed in the midday sun.

Walking up to it, Xander pressed a small button on a miniature control in his hand. The hatch on the bottom of the spacecraft opened with a hiss, lowering a ramp down to the ground which led up into the belly of the craft.

He had spent the night before his adoption of Naruto salvaging and attempting to repair his craft as much as possible. One of the worker droids he had on board was still functional, and the droid was able to help him in repairing various systems which included the environmental systems, some of the weapon systems, and most importantly the stealth field. Not only that, but his collection of holicrons and his meditation room were intact as well, if a little wet.

"Come on in Naruto. Make yourself at home."

Naruto looked at him with a weird expression. As cool as this house looked, even he knew that it stuck out like a sore thumb. They would be discovered here in no time.

"Don't worry, nobody will find us here." Xander said. Naruto did a double take. How did he…?

Naruto was jolted forward, as if something had suddenly pushed him firmly in the back. Too surprised to resist, he was gently shoved towards the strange structure.

"Come on, Naruto. Quickly, before you are seen." Xander said again, this time with a hint of impatience in his tone.

Not willing to stall anymore, the boy bolted up the ramp into the ship, followed closely by the hiss of the closing hatch. Several minutes later, the body of the ship shimmered, shifted, and then vanished from sight.

* * *

"Very well, continue your search." 

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The ninja stated, giving a deep bow before leaving the room. Once he was gone, Sarutobi sighed, pulling out his pipe and lighting it. He took a deep drag, letting it all out in a single weary breath.

It had been almost three days now since Naruto's disappearance from Konoha, and he was becoming increasingly worried and uncertain. Naruto and his abductor could most certainly be out of fire country by this point, and if that was the case, then they were beyond their reach, the borders of each of the main countries being increasingly strained as of late. An incursion by a search squad could certainly be misinterpreted, and while he debated that it might be worth the risk, the chance of war with other countries was enough to stay his hand.

Kakashi's bewildering report was also a major concern. He had known Kakashi for quite some time, ever since he was a small boy. He knew him to be rational and trustworthy. Yet the report that Kakashi had given him upon his return simply did not add up.

An attack by an unknown group of ninja from an unknown country, each of which bearing a headband with a musical note insignia. There was no such village that had such a headband, he knew that for certain. Kakashi was, of course, just as much in the dark as he was, but he was certain that his group had been attacked by the ninjas he had described, and attempts to break any possible genjutsu were met with failure, so he was certain that no genjutsu was in place that might have altered his memories. So if what he said was true, then they would have to keep an eye out for this mysterious new village.

He sighed again. It looked as though he would have to call off the search, despite his reservation about doing so. There had been no leads that pointed in any direction, and he could not afford to have the ANBU running around searching for nothing. With a deep sense of regret he stood up, preparing to deliver his decision to the ANBU captains.

* * *

_AN: Well, I'm afraid that this chapter turned out much, much differently than I had originally anticipated. My original concept was that Xander and Naruto would get to their new home quickly and easily and would begin Naruto's training, as well as introduce Xander to Kyuubi. That has been bumped ahead a chapter however, as I decided to make their escape from Konoha a little more exciting._

_Ok, I'll come clean and admit that the scenes where Xander was taking out all the ANBU was greatly inspired by the Star Wars cartoon from the DVD that I got recently. But that scene was just so kick ass, and it seemed so appropriate to this story, so I decided to use it (Shrugs shoulders). And about Kakashi getting his ass handed to him, keep in mind that he is fighting an opponent who literally uses an alien power against him. He has never encountered anything like it before, and while he did manage to survive the encounter, I wanted it to be abudndantly clear that he was unprepared to deal with a Sith. He will likely be more prepared in any future encounters they might have, but for now I felt it was good that he just flat-out get his ass kicked._

_And about Xander the answer is: Yes, he is a Sith. It was not really my intention of making it too ambiguous in the last chapter, though I did want to portray him as a bit deeper and more pragmatic than simply "I Sith! I KILL! RARGH! Darkside of Force kicks ass!" The true Sith in the Star Wars universe is a whole belief system, a philosophy just like the Jedi code. True Sith are far more deep and complicated than Dark Jedi like Darth Vader (No I do not consider Darth Vader a true Sith). True Sith are true masters of the Darkside, not simply Jedi with anger management issues. And yes there is a difference._

_I wanted to portray Xander (you'll learn his sith name later, but not yet, but it might be fun for people to take guesses) as a more philosophical type rather than a "Rargh, I am Sith! Hear me Roar!"_

_Oh, and for those who are familiar with the Star Wars universe outside of just the movies, here is a small list of the characters that I personally view as being true Sith (This is not complete mind you, but these are the ones I know):_

_Exar Kun_

_Darth Revan (also the first to use the word 'Darth' in his title)_

_Darth Treya_

_Darth Bane_

_Darth Plageus_

_Darth Maul_

_Darth Sidious (Emperor Palpatine)_

_The following are not true Sith (In my opinion):_

_Darth Malak_

_Darth Tyrannus_

_Darth Vader (Don't get me wrong, I like Darth Vader. I just don't view him as Sith)_


End file.
